Hat dyeing device



Jam 17,1939, J. J. G. RYAN "2,144,274

HAT DYEIN'G DEVICE Filed April 28, 1937 Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE John J. Glltyan, Danbury, Conn.

Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,383

10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful. improvements in dyeing apparatus and has particular relation to a hat dyeing device.

An object of the invention is to provide means whereby with a minimum of inexpensive equipment large quantities of hat bodies may be uniformly cllyed in an expeditious manner.

Another object is to provide a device in which the hat bodies may be evenly and uniformly dyed after they have been fully shrunk, as dyeing in the fully shrunk state gives better and more uniform color and better quality as the coloring or dye is not lost during shrinking as is the case where the bodies are dyed before shrinking.

A further object is to provide a device for dyeing hat bodies which eliminates the necessity of knocking down the hats before placing in the dyeing apparatus and then straightening them again as is necessary in the usual dyeing apparatus.

A still further object is to provide a simple and effective device which keeps the individual hat bodies separated from each other in the liquor so as to permit the dyeing liquor access uniformly to all parts of the body and thus eliminate unevenness in dyeing or spotty hats.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus of the invention while in use;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, the near side of the dye tank or vat being removed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing one of the improved holders or frames employed;

Fig. 4 is an edge view at. right angles to Fig. 3 and showing hat bodies on the frames;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a felt hat body to be dyed;

Fig. 6 is an edge View thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a view looking into the open end of a hat body.

Referring in detail to the drawing at H) is shown a vat or tank for dye liquor. The vat ,is shown as rectangular, and Within the lower .portion thereof is a perforated pipe H through The hat bodies 9 are to be placed in the vat It] and removed therefrom in large quantities, and to that end a central post I2 is provided to sup- 7 port a large number of forms or frames 13 each constructed to support a hat body. The frames 1 are all alike and in the form shown each includes a bar 14 to the outer end of which are pivoted side members l5 secured as by a friction pivot I6. To the free ends of the short side members [5 friction pivots ll secure other side members 18 to which are secured additional side members [9.

Members l9 are eachprovided with a longitudinally extending slot 20 through which bolts 2| attach them to the members 18 whereby on loosening of the bolts 2| the members l9 are adjustable longitudinally of the members l8. On the free ends of members l9 are arms 22 directed inwardly toward the bar and preferably arranged in a plane slightly above that of the bar as shown. By adjusting the members l5 and 18 about the friction pivots l6 and I1 and by adjusting the member l9 longitudinally of the member I8 the holder may be made to properly support different sizes and shapes of hat bodies.

The corners are removed from the central post l2 and the inner ends of the bars [4 of the holders or frames I3 are'bent to provide attaching means 23 through which screws or other fastening means 24 are passed securing the bars to the flattened corner portions of the post. The holders or frames l3 are arranged in four vertical rows on the post with the members l5, l8 and H! at the horizontal sides of the bars !4.

A clip 25 is secured in any suitable manner (such for example as welding) to the underside of each bar I 4, and it is noted (see Fig. 4) that the free ends of the clips are toward the outer ends of the bars and are spaced a short distance below the bars. Each frame l3 also includes an anchoring or securing means 26 in the form of an arm pivoted at 21 between a pair of ears 28 on the upper side of the bar l4 and on its forward lower side provided with a sharp or pointed lug 2B. This lug may be tapered on its outer side sothe edge of the hat body may be easily slipped under it as the body is slid onto the holder but the point holds it from sliding off until released.

All hat bodies 9 are of about the same shape as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 and when in a substantially flat condition as in such figures each ineludes sides 30 and 3| and is open at one end 32. Ordinarily when dyeing hat bodies the crowns of the latter are knocked in and the bodies are thrown into a rotatable perforated drum located in a. vat or tank of dye and the drum is rotated to have the dye reach all parts of the bodies. Before being placed in the tank the crowns of the bodies are knocked in so that the bodies will not lie flat against one another to reduce as much as possible uneven or spotted dyeing. After the bodies are dyed they must be straightened again.

According to the present invention a large rotary drum and associated mechanism is not necessary, and the operations of knocking in and straightening of the crown is eliminated. While the post I2 is out of the tank or vat l0 hat bodies are placed on the frames l3. First, of course, the frames are adjusted to the proper size as above explained and then the hat bodies are placed one on each frame I3. This disposes the bodies one above the other in vertical rows and supports them in a substantially flat condition.

The free edge portion of the upper side 30 of the body is in each instance supported by the inwardly directed arms 22 so that such portion of the body is held above the lower side thereof whereby the open end of the body is maintained open for the admission of dye as will appear. Further, the lower side of each body is placed on the clip 25 of its frame so that such side of each body is kept from sagging down against the upper side of the body on the next lowermost frame. In this Way the sides of a hat body are kept spaced from one another and from the sides of the next adjacent hat bodies on the frames in the same vertical row. This permits the dye liquor to have access readily and uniformly to all parts of the hat, giving uniform dyeing and eliminating uneveness in dyeing or spotty hats. After a hat body is placed on a frame it the securing means 26 of such frame may be swung into place or the edge of body may be slid under this device, and its pointed lug 29 engages the said hat body securing the same against casual movement off the frame.

With the hat bodies assembled on the frames as described, the assembly, including the post 12 and the frames l3, can be placed in the tank or vat Ill. To this end a hook or eye 33 is provided on the upper end of the post to be engaged by some lifting means (not shown) whereby the assembly may be lifted into the tank Ill. Thereafter the dye in the tank is agitated by the admission of air thereto through the perforated pipe H. The hat bodies being held open the dye may enter them, and as they are supported against contact with one another the dye may reach all parts of the bodies and they are thoroughly and uniformly dyed. After the dyeing operation the lifting means is again applied to the eye 33 and the assembly removed from the tank whereupon the dye bodies may be easily removed from the frames.

The hat bodies may be fully shrunk before being applied to the frames l3 and a better and more uniform quality of dyeing is therefore obtained, because as the dyeing is done after the shrinking there is no dye to be lost or faded in the shrinking operation. There is a further advantage in dyeing after shrinking in that the bodies shrink faster when the shrinking operation is performed before the bodies are dyed. Usually the fur shrinks slower after dyeing as it is opened in boiling in the dye and so does not shrink as fast.

This device does not require a power drive as in the drum type, and requires much less space in the shop.

It is to be understood the device is not limited to having the side members adjustable, as if only hats of a certain size or about the same size are to be dyed the support may be made in one or more pieces and of the proper size to fit these hat bodies. Also, I am not limited to the flat bars as shown as it may be made of wire or any stock of the desired form. The material should be some material neutral to the dye and also which will not stain the hats. Stainless steel is very satisfactory for this purpose, but other materials having the desired characteristics may also be used.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, What I claim is:

1. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting conically shaped hat bodies in a fiat- L tened condition in the dyeing material comprising a mounting bar to be inserted in the hat body with its outer end in the tip thereof, a pair of side members pivoted to the outer end of the bar and extending back along the same at opposite horizontal sides thereof in diverging relation and in substantially the same plane to support the sides of the hat body in flattened relation and on opposite sides of the bar, and each of said side members including a pair of parts connected for longitudinal adjustment to support different sizes of bodies.

2. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting conically shaped hat bodies in a flattened condition comprising a mounting bar to be I inserted in a body with its free end at the tip of the body, side members attached to the outer end of said bar and extending back along the same in diverging relation on opposite sides of the bar to support the sides of the body with the flattened portions above and below the bar, and arms on the free ends of said members and directed inwardly toward the bar to support the free edge of the upper flattened side of the hat body on the frame.

3. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting a conically shaped hat body in flattened condition in the dyeing material comprising a mounting bar, side members attached to the outer end of said bar and extending back along the sides thereof in diverging relation, said frame being adapted to be inserted in a hat body with the free end of the bar at the tip of the body and the sides of the frame supporting the sides of the body in flattened condition with the flattened sides above and below the bar, and a clip extending longitudinally of said bar at the underside thereof to pass under the lower flattened side of the hat body on the frame and support such side above the hat body on a next lowermost frame.

4. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting conically shaped hat bodies in a flattened condition in the dyeing material comprising a mounting bar, oppositely extending side members pivoted at their adjacent ends to one end of said bar, other side members pivoted to the free ends of the first side members, other members attached to and longitudinally adjustable on the second mentioned side members to vary the lengths thereof for different sizes of bodies, said frame being insertable in the body with the free end of the bar at the tip thereof and the side members supporting the sides of the body with its flattened portions above and below the bar, and arms on Cir the free ends of the longitudinally adjustable side members and extending inwardly toward said bar to support the free edge portion of the upper flattened side of the hat body on the frame.

5. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting a conically shaped hat body in a flattened condition in dyeing liquid comprising a mounting bar, oppositely extending side members pivoted at their adjacent ends to one end of the bar, other side members pivoted to the free ends of the first side members, other members attached to and longitudinally adjustable on the second mentioned side members to vary the lengths thereof for different sizes of bodies, said frame being insertable into the body with the free end of the bar at the tip thereof and the side members supporting the body with its flattened portions above and below the bar, arms on the free ends of the longitudinally adjustable members and extending inwardly toward the bar to support the free edge portion of the upper flattened side of the hat body on the frame, and a clip extending longitudinally of said bar at the underside thereof to pass under the lower flattened side of'the hat body on one frame and support such side above the hat body on a next lowermost frame.

6. In a hat dyeing device, a frame for supporting aconically shaped hat body in a flattened condition in the dyeing material comprising a mounting bar, oppositely extending side members pivoted at their adjacent ends to one end of the bar, other side members pivoted to the free ends of the first side members, other members attached to and longitudinally adjustable on the second mentioned side members to vary the length thereof for different sizes of bodies, said frame being adapted to be inserted in the body with the free end of the bar at the tip of the body and the side members supporting the body with its flattened portions above and below the bar, arms on the free ends of the longitudinally adjustable members and extending inwardly toward the bar to support the free edge portion of the upper flattened side of the hat body on the frame, and means to engage a hat body on the frame and prevent casual movement of such body oifthe frame.

'7. In a hat dyeing device, a central post, a plurality of frames supported on said post and arranged in vertical rows, said frames extending substantially horizontally from the post and spaced one above the other in the rows, and said frames being so shaped as to support conically shaped hat bodies in flattened condition in horizontal positions in the dyeing material and with the hat bodies on the frames of each row disposed in spaced relation one above the other.

8. In a hat dyeing device, a central post, a plurality of frames supported on the post, said frames being arranged in vertical rows and extending substantially horizontally from the post in spaced relation one above the other in the rows, and said frames being so shaped as to support conically shaped hat bodies in flattened condition in horizontal positions in the dyeing material and with the hat bodies on the frames of each row disposed in spaced relation one above the other, and each of said frames including a portion extending under and supporting the free edge of the upper flattened side of its hat body in spaced relation to the lower flattened side thereof.

9. In a hat dyeing device, a central post, a plurality of frames supported on said post in substantially horizontal position and arranged in spaced relation one above the other in vertical rows, said frames being so shaped as to support conically shaped hat bodies in flattened condition in horizontal positions with the hat bodies on the frames of each row disposed in spaced relation one above the other, and each of said frames including means supporting the lower flattened side of its hat body above the upper flattened side of the hat body on the next lowermost frame.

10. In a hat dyeing device, a cenral post, a plurality of frames supported on the post in substan-- tially horizontal position and arranged in spaced relation one above the other in vertical rows, said frame being so shaped as to support conically shaped hat bodies in flattened condition in horizontal positions with the hat bodies on the frames of each row disposed in spaced relation one above the other, each of said frames including a portion supporting the free edge of the upper flattened side of its hat body in spaced relation to the lower flattened side thereof, and means on each frame extending under and supporting the lower flattened side of its hat body above the upper flattened side of the hat body on the next lowermost frame.

JOHN J. G. RYAN. 

